palmer's Journal
20 most recent entries

Date:2003-11-30 10:40
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First Sunday of Advent...

"My grief is beyond healing; my heart is broken. Listen to the weeping of my people; it can be heard all across the land. 'Has the Lord abandoned Zion?' the people ask. 'Is her King no longer there?...The harvest is finished and the summer is gone, yet we are not saved!'
I weep for the hurt of my people. I am stunned and silent, mute with grief. Is there no medicine in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why is there no healing for the wounds of my people?" -Jeremiah 8

"...this time of darkness and despair will not go on forever...there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory." -Isaiah 9

"...the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined." -Matthew 4

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Date:2003-11-28 09:54
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Will you allow me a somewhat longish quote from Nicholas Wolterstorff?

"Who then are the mourners? The mourners are those who have caught a glimpse of Gods new day, who ache with all their being for that days coming, and who break out into tears when confronted with its absence. They are the ones who realize that in God's realm of peace there is no one blind and who ache whenever they see someone unseeing. They are the ones who realize that in God's realm there is no one hungry and who ache whenever they see someone starving. They are the ones who realize that in God's realm there is no one falsely accused and who ache when they see someone imprisoned unjustly. They are the ones who realize that in God's realm there is no one who fails to see God and who ache whenever they see someone unbelieving. They are the ones who realize that in God's realm there is no one who suffers oppression and who ache whenever they see someone who is beat down. They are the ones who realize that in God's realm there is no one without dignity and who ache whenever they see someone treated with indignity. They are the ones who realize that in God's realm of peace there is neither death nor tears and who ache whenever they see someone crying tears over death. The mourners are aching visionaries."

Jennifers death has made me a mourner. It has made me an aching visionary. It has caused me to feel more acutely the reality of the kingdom both already and not yet. It has forced me to break all allegiances to this world and its powers, and to live more radically in service to my King.

Jennifer, thank you for modeling these things for me when you lived. Their truth has been sealed for me in your death. Soon we will dance together again in the New City.

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."

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Date:2003-11-27 08:53
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The student has become the teacher...Blake Skidmore from the Underground Seminary.

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Date:2003-11-26 08:26
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Much happening here, but nothing profound. It's been a full morning all ready; Micah decided to rise and shine at 5:30am, as opposed to his typical 7am. We've had a lot of good times together this week, he and I. We're giving Chelsea a little break since she's moving this weekend.

Getting close to buying another house for the new community. Underground Seminary is well. Third floor of 64 King is almost completed, which will create some much needed space to do what we do and live how we live. We're enjoying having our new housemate Eddie here. He's enjoying the winter weather that is finally upon us.

Stopped by Used Kids Records on campus yesterday and traded 4 cd's for this and this. Looking forward to a wonderful holiday weekend spent with the community...dinner at Aaron's parents house with 25 others, and then on to Ryan and Deneese's for more food, more fun, and a viewing of Two Towers.

There. Lots of links to keep you busy. Now we're all caught up.

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Date:2003-11-23 12:48
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70 degrees with a light breeze on November 23rd here in Columbus. It allowed Micah and I to spend the morning at the playground, and then home to rake (scatter) leaves in the back yard. Kelli and Holly just joined Eddie and Matt and I and Micah for brunch, and a nap on the couch awaits. I'm sure the house will fill up tonight with more friends from the community, as it does most evenings. A Sunday well lived.

I am truly rich in friendships right now. In the midst of that, my longing for Jennifer grows deeper with each passing day. I wonder how people who have suffered loss would continue to function without a community like mine?

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Date:2003-11-21 08:28
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Sam and Sarah from the Bruderhof visited with our community last night. They'll be here in Columbus until they feel like they're supposed to leave. We talked of Jesus, the present Kingdom breaking in all over the world, community living, calling nothing our own, relationships in the Kingdom, the resurgence of the Anabaptist spirit in historically Anabaptist movements.

I fell asleep to the sounds of Kelli and Fez doing dishes in the kitchen, Robby playing guitar in the livingroom, and conversation drifting all through the house. Evenings like this are becoming more common at 64 King.

This is the Church. This is the Kingdom of God already but not yet.

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Date:2003-11-17 10:20
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This would be one of the reasons I feel honored to hang out with him.

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Date:2003-11-17 10:11
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The current scene at 64 King...

Eddie sitting at the dining room table reading Cost of Discipleship, Micah dancing wildly around the living room to The Weakerthans, me reading NT Wright and blogging, and Matt upstairs reading the Scriptures.

Nice.

I miss Jennifer.

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Date:2003-11-16 08:44
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My new friend Phil Storer is blogging. Phil shows up at our house most afternoons to study NT Wright. He's a good fellow thinking good things. Visit him.

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Date:2003-11-13 10:49
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I went to Bernie's last night (quite possibly one of the worst places to see a show ever) to see The Appleseed Cast (quite possibly one of my favorite bands ever) with my friend Aileen (quite possibly one of my coolest friends ever).

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Date:2003-11-12 10:52
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The "underground seminary" that meets in my house (David, Blake, Phil, Eddie, and myself) is currently reading and studying The Challenge of Jesus by NT Wright. Chapter 4 is on The Crucified Messiah, and is going deep into our undertanding of Jesus and His vocation. Here's a tidbit...

"...I say, not for the last time, that the way to Christian growth is often to allow oneself to be puzzled and startled by new apparent complexity. There is great simplicity at the heart of this picture (of Jesus), but it is costly. The price it demands is sustained attention to the specific, and to us strange and even repellent, first-century ways of thinking that characterized Jesus. Is it after all Jesus we want to discover and follow, or would we prefer an idol of our own making?"

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Date:2003-11-09 23:51
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Fez is blogging again, and it's good.

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Date:2003-11-09 17:53
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Chris Marshall says the things that I am not smart enough to say. Thank God for him.

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Date:2003-11-09 17:50
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Eddie and Micah and I traveled to Springfield this morning to speak at one of the churches in our family. I'm kind of making my rounds to the BIC churches, sharing my journey, helping them ask good questions and hopefully find some answers on healing, death, the problem of pain, the present reality of the Kingdom, etc. Last night I received an e-mail from their pastor informing me that two of the people in their church had just died in a car accident the day before. I don't think it was a coincidence that I was the first one to address their community after this tragedy. It was an emotionally draining morning, but I think the Kingdom advanced.

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Date:2003-11-08 12:27
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Church Sign Generator...this is going to be way to much fun.

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Date:2003-11-05 15:51
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Saw The Matrix Revolutions this morning at 10AM with about 9 other guys from LP Community. I will not spoil it.

Our new housemate Eddie is napping on the couch of 64 King. It makes me smile.

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Date:2003-10-31 10:03
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Eddie, it's like 75 degrees in Columbus right now. Hurry up and get here!

Watching Micah play in Jennifer's vegetable garden is filling me with the strangest mix of joy and sadness I have ever felt.

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Date:2003-10-30 14:29
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Oh my...Now it's on....

Mayhem.

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Date:2003-10-30 08:12
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Went to see Death Cab For Cutie last night at Little Brothers. Amazing in every way.

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Date:2003-10-28 07:47
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"I shall look at the world through tears. Perhaps I shall see things that dry-eyed I could not see."-Nicholas Wolterstorff

"The tears...streamed down, and I let them flow as freely as they would, making fo them a pillow for my heart. On them it rested."-Augustine, Confessions IX, 12

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